Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-09-16
MIGRANTS, PUMPS, AND CISTERNS.
What Will be shown I'm the Annual
Report Of the water Department.

| The annual report Of the water department. to
be submitted to the District Commissioners Octo-
Der i, will contain much interesting and valuable
Information In relation to the pump system Of
water supply In the District. 1t Will show that
there are at present POS pumps In use, Of which
number 12O are in the northwest section, 15 in
West Washington, 81 In the southwest section, 81
In the northeast section, and rs in the southeast
section. With the present appropriation Of only
$1,000 for the care and repair Of the pumps and
wells 1t Is utterly impossible to maintain such a
large number In proper condition, and in addition
| erect new pumps. Hence, the water department
has not within the past year dug any new wells.
AN INCREASED APPROPRIATION FOR PUMPS NEEDED.
1t is hoped, however, that the Commissioners
will secure Sc, 600 for this work during the next
fiscal year, which sum will hardly be more than
sufficient as there Is large number Of pumps that
are Old and past remedy, which should be replaced
| cleaned and protected from communicating 1nfu-
ences. During the year OF 1SS6-'87 there were
zen pumps removed and the wells hlled up and
covered Win tagging In substantial manner.
The reason for this was their proximity to sewers
by which the water had become contaminated to
sumers This is the main trouble With the system
Of aa wafer supply 6y pumps, but s1perintendent
can De zone with the present facilities.
TO IMPROVE THE SYSTEM.
An important feature OF this reform is the man.
ner OF erecting the pumps In which great improve
ment has been effected under the present admin
1stration. Where the wells are located on the
sidewalk or parking the pump is erected at the
curb line and pipes from 1t to the wen, which
Is substantially covered by Tagging The trap Is
5 5ulit lnlo the gutter and the waste water con-
ducted into the sewer. This Will do much to
But
ONE GREAT DEFECT
In the present method OF building wells Is that Of
encastng them in brick placed one upon the other.
They should properly be mortared together to
within a foot Of the surface in order to prevent
the ln1oW OF surface drainage. Much damage Is
and ey s
pumps, unfortunately, have open tops, and into
these the mischievous youngsters will pour gravel
anu pieces OF broken glass until, sometimes, when
the pumps are repaired bucket and more OF this
matter Is removed from them.
THE 'C0AMON-sENsE" PUMP.
The District authorities are very much pleased
with the pump now in use. 1t is made in Saco,
Me-, and is called the ''Common-sense." Its cost
is really less than half that OF the od-fashioned
style. With the stops and working chambers the
Common sense" costs about $l2, and the adj
and $50 each. 1t costs $50 to construct the Old
fashioned pump, and at least $25 more to erect it.
IneSe statements are made on authority OF water
department officials
ANALYzING WELL WATER.
In the last few weeks the District chemist, Mr..
Clifford Richardson, has analysed many samples
OF well water and in the majority OF cases 1t has
been found uncontaminated. superintendent
Hayden believes that the water In the wells
should De analyzed at least four times year and
pipes 1ntrOduced-One for the ingreSS OF pure air
and another for the egress OF the impure air.
These pipes can be run into the pump and tnen
them from being filled up with dirt and other
rubbish. The aeration OF water Superintendent
Hayden believes to be an important consideration.
THE OLD CIsTERNs.
BY direction OF the Engineer Commissioner the
fOrf fro f>o
ing examined. In some instances they are sup
Piled by pipes run from springs, and in others by
rain water carried into them by pipes from the
tops OF houses. 1t Is thought that water pipes
could Oe connected with them, and thus render
them OF great service In case OF fire. There are two
such ctSternS OF immense size in Jackson Hall
alley, near street northwest, between Sd and
~ streets; one in front OF the Bank OF Washing
ton, one in front OF YOungs carriage repository on
Pennsylvania avenue; one at the corner of Sd and
i In Hal avenue, and another at the corner
run from large spring In Franklin Square. Before
the introduction OF the present system, the water
from springs and wells. The streets are now filed
with these dead pipes and much Of the dampness
that is now found In houses may be attributed to
the fact that in many instances the water has not
been cut on In these pipes and it runs into the
earth and there spreads In all directions
MIGRANTS AND FIRE PLUGS.
The report will also state that there are 131 n.y.
drants in the northwest, Al in West Washington,
the southeast sections. Also 58l fire plugs in the
northwest, ~ in West Washington, 1O5 in the
southwest. 81 In the northeast, and 153 in the
southeast sections. 1t Is cOncluStvely shown by
the report that more work was done with the ap-
preparation for pumps and wells during the year
VlouS years taken together.
SHE HASN'T OvERTAKEN HIN YEr.-A colored
woman entered Police headquarters this morning
and complained to Inspector Swindells that she
mad been robbed OF large bundle OF clothing
she said that she was on her way this city last
evening, coming down the Leesburg pike and ct
SHUTDOWN she stopped at a farmhouse for the
night. After her arrival at the house she said
"tail cOlOred gentleman" stopped for the night
anu said, that as she had large bundle to carry
and he was going her way, he would give her q
nlt" This morning she said they had breakfast
and the gentleman" got ready to leave before
her. Being as he Was going to carry the heavy
bundle, ne said he would start on his way before
her and Chat she could Overtake him. He LEFT and
started this way, but she was unable to Oyertake
him, and her clothing is all gone.
LODGED N JAn.-Yesterday afternoon after the
hearing In the Police Court in the case OF Edmund
Raymond and Emerson, the bogus doctors and
boarding house thieves, the prisoners were each
handeuned TO negro and taken in the prison van
TO Jail On the way there they attempted 10 get
the handouts from their wrists, but were unable
to do so, and as they stepped from the van to
enter the prison they took good look at the
building as though looking for some place through
which they might effect their escape.